Summary:

A group of concerned citizens has established a non-profit organization to facilitate work with native plant species in Iowa. This new group, Iowa Native Lands (INL), will provide an organizational umbrella designed to bring together groups already working with various aspects of prairies and other native landscapes in Iowa. By providing a forum for communication, there will be increased opportunities for interaction and cooperation among Iowa conservation interests, and greater funding potential for joint projects. An additional priority will be to raise the public’s awareness and appreciation of prairies and other native lands in Iowa. Through coalition building, fund raising, and education, all Iowa conservation interests will be advanced.

Rationale:

In the state of Iowa there are many different groups working with native vegetation, ranging from government agencies and non-profit organizations to private companies and individuals. This roster of conservation groups with a focus on prairies has expanded in recent years, due to a growing appreciation of the environmental benefits of prairie plantings. Land management practices utilizing prairie species now include:
• CRP installations, in lieu of alfalfa brome plantings
• buffer strips to reduce stream pollution due to runoff
• native landscaping to reduce pesticide, fertilizer and irrigation inputs
• reconstruction of prairies
• waste water filtration and urban storm water management systems
• restoration of degraded remnant native prairies
• wetlands mitigation
• roadside stabilization and vegetation
• wildlife habitat development
• biomass for energy and fiber
• research projects

While there is general consensus that this increased use of native plant species is environmentally beneficial, the wide range of potential applications leads to considerable dichotomy within the priorities and projects actually implemented. Attempts at ecosystem restoration tend to generate similar problems during implementation. While some differences are to be expected, in many cases there is little or no communication between conservation groups, a fact has led to some unfortunate misunderstandings and disagreements between organizations with many allied interests. Complicating the situation further is a general public with low appreciation of the historical and environmental significance of prairies and other native landscapes in Iowa, and a chronic shortage of funds within the conservation community.
INL, with the support of the Prairie Rivers RC&D, will provide a neutral forum to bring the conservation interests of the state together without any loss of individual identity. It is expected that increased communication, reduced duplication of effort, and greater fund raising potential, in concert with efforts to educate the public, will create synergistic relationships among the member organizations. The net result will be an increase in conservation projects and better public appreciation of Iowa’s native lands.

Objectives:

By increasing interaction between established conservation organizations, and working to provide greater funding for those groups, INL will create many opportunities. Some examples that will receive priority:

• Education: Develop and present information to the public on the importance of native ecosystems, and the uses and benefits of prairie plants
• Research: Facilitate research to better define the importance, parameters and circumstances of local ecotype seed sources and usage
• Consultation: Advise state and federal agencies on policies that impact native plant use and diversity in Iowa, and provide a forum to discuss and develop consensus for use and management of native species.
• Coordination of Member Organizations: Define and coordinate complimentary positions on management of remnants and prairie plant installations within participating organizations, work to maximize ecosystem restoration efforts among groups
• Land Management Assistance: Create opportunities for public/private initiatives to provide direct technical assistance to Iowa landowners for prairie remnant preservation, ecosystem restoration and uses of prairie species
• Fundraising: Address the economic factors limiting preservation and restoration efforts, and the use of native species in land management

Organizational Structure:

The organization will be established under Chapter 504A of the Iowa Code as a not-for-profit corporation. Start-up assistance, office and meeting space, and administrative support are provided by Prairie Rivers RC&D.
An initial board of 5-7 directors, representing the range of conservation interests in the state, will be primarily concerned with the management and business of the organization. A technical advisory committee will also be established and will include representatives of the major Iowa conservation organizations. This committee will serve to advise and consult on native lands issues in Iowa. A second committee will be assembled, designed to provide a county-wide system of prairie contacts. Agency employees with an interest and background in prairie management will be designated as “county prairie contacts”. These people will be available to assist and advise landowners and other agency employees, serving as an avenue to direct interested parties to appropriate information about prairie management.

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